The West Point Class of 1846
Graduating just as the Mexican War began, fifty-three of the fifty-nine member of this class (the largest in the Academy's history to that time) fought in Mexico. Four of them lost their lives there. Two more were killed fighting Indians in the 1850s. Ten members of that class became Confederate generals; twelve became Union generals; three of the Confederates and one of the Unionists were killed or mortally wounded in action during the Civil War. The following is a list of some of those generals.
Name Class Ranking Highest Rank in Civil War Union or Confederate Adams, John 25 Brigadier General Confederate-
Killed at Franklin in 1864Couch, Darius N. 13 Major General Union Foster, John G. 4 Major General Union Fry, Birkett D. Dismissed Brigadier General Confederate Gardner, William M. 55 Brigadier General Confederate Gibbon, John Graduated in 1847 Major General Union Gordon, George H. 43 Major General Union Hill, Ambrose P. Graduated in 1847 Lieutenant General Confederate-
Killed at Petersburg 1865Jackson, Thomas J. 17 Lieutenant General Confederate-
Mortally wounded at
Chancellorsville in 1863Jones, David R. 41 Major General Confederate-
Died in 1863McClellan, George B. 2 Major General Union Maury, Dabney H. 37 Major General Confederate Maxey, Samuel B. 58 Major General Confederate Oakes, James 34 Brigadier General Union Pickett, George E. 59 Major General Confederate Reno, Jesse L. 8 Major General Union-
Killed at South Mountain
in 1862Seymour, Truman 19 Major General Union Stoneman, George 33 Major General Union Sturgis, Samuel D. 32 Major General Union Wilcox, Cadmus M. 54 Major General Confederate
Source: "Class of 1846" by John C. WaughThis page last updated 05/20/05